Malignant melanoma is skin cancer in which melanocytes develop into malignant cells. It accounts for approximately 4% of all skin cancers but is responsible for 80% of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Malignant melanoma is the sixth most common cancer among women and the fifth most common cancer among men in the United States of America. It is usually detected or diagnosed in the adult stage with an average age at diagnosis of 58 years and only 0.9% of cases before the age of 20. (1). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayIts incidence increased rapidly in the 1970s to about 6% per year. It has been estimated that the annual increase in incidence is approximately 3-7%. The increased incidence rate has been attributed to screening and early diagnosis of malignant melanoma and awareness (2). This type of skin cancer is more common among Caucasians than blacks. People with fair skin are at a greater risk of developing melanoma, approximately 17-25 times (1). Melanoma is believed to be more extremely rare among blacks, and most cases belonged to the acral lentiginous subtype (3, 4). Africans tend to be protected from the carcinogenic effects of UV radiation compared to Caucasians due to higher levels of melanin. The most common sites where acral freckled melanomas develop in Africans and African-Americans are the nail beds, soles of the feet, and palms of the hands. In a retrospective analysis of melanoma in South Africans of mixed ancestry, a histological type and anatomical distribution characteristic of black populations were shown, however the 5-year survival rate in these patients was similar to that observed in white populations (5). The annual increase in the incidence rate of melanoma has been estimated to be 3–7% per year in Caucasians (6). In most cases, malignant melanoma is diagnosed at stage 3 or higher, with a median survival of 6-9 months and survival of 5 years. rate lower than 5% (7, 8). Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The main predisposing factors are family history, exposure to UV radiation, intermittent or chronic exposure, fair skin, history of melanoma. In a study conducted by Radespiel-Tröger, M. et al, confirmed that there is an increased risk of melanoma in outdoor workers (9). Outdoor workers had more risky behaviors with similar constitutional risk factors for skin cancer: higher UV exposure (both at work and at leisure) and less sunscreen use and lower health literacy). This results in greater exposure, more photo damage, and an increased risk of developing basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (10). High levels of sun exposure may be associated with skin cancers in people who work outdoors, along with insufficient use and practice of sun protection measures when working outdoors(11). A large number of people are exposed to varying levels of solar radiation at work. In a study using the CAREX (exposure to carcinogens) database designed to provide selected exposure data and documented estimates of the number of workers exposed to carcinogens by country, it was reported that the most common occupational exposure to carcinogens in EU countries was solar radiation (12).